Problematic Solutions
by Confessed4Life
Summary: After Richard is released from Annabelle's magic, Kahlan travels down a road in which, she may not recover.
1. Chapter 1

Richard watched her from the corner of his eye. She was standing close to Zedd as she spoke softly. Whatever they were talking about, it upset them both. He wanted to say something, but they had moved away from him for a reason and he didn't want to make matters worse. Kahlan had been quieter than usual lately, but he didn't blame her. He told her that he loved another woman and in that moment, it was true.

He could remember the look in her eyes clearly, almost as though it was happening again and again. He never wanted to hurt her, but it hadn't really been him. Once he was released from Annabelle's magic, he understood everything Kahlan had been afraid of. The only problem was that now, he was reinvested, his love proving to be as much and maybe even more than that of confession. The incident made him crave her all the more and feel the truth of their love. With a final set of words, the wizard walked away, leaving the Confessor alone with a frown.

The Seeker was by her side instantly, trying to understand what had been going on. He couldn't think of a reason that would make his grandfather so upset with her.

"Are you all right?"

"Fine," she lied quickly.

Stepping closer, he reaching for her arm and sighed. "You don't look fine."

Her eyes met his coldly. "You don't know me very well." Her defenses were up, something was definitely wrong.

His hold on her arm tightened, keeping her from walking away. "Kahlan, what's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong. I've just made a decision that he doesn't agree with." Pulling her arm from his grasp, she took a step back. "We will be passing through Aydindril next week; I will be staying for a few days."

"Why?"

"I am the Mother Confessor, I do not need a reason to visit my home."

His eyes never left hers, trying to understand what was happening. "No, but sometimes a friend needs another friend."

Shaking her head, she sighed. "Friends shouldn't hurt friends."

"No, but you can't always protect them."

"You know why I am going, don't you?"

"Yes."

Confused, she stepped closer to him. "Then why did you ask?"

"I suspected it before, after I saw the look on Zedd's face when you told him that we didn't go through with it. Then I waited for you to tell me. Is that why Zedd is angry?"

"He believes that I made my decision callously, because of what happened between us."

"Did you?"

"Not entirely." She moved to take a step toward him, but stopped herself and retreated. "When we- We don't even know if I would have conceived a child. And if we didn't..."

"You can't afford to wait for me to find a way to be with you."

"I'm sorry, Richard."

"If I asked you to wait, just until we sealed the rifts, you wouldn't, would you?"

"I can't," she told him softly. "If I wait, we both know that it will only make this harder."

"Nothing is going to make this easier, Kahlan. You're going to be with another man, you're going to have his children and nothing will ever be harder for me, for either of us." A heavy sigh left him as he licked his lips. "You told me not to love you, you all did and now I see the pain you were trying to protect me from."

Kahlan sucked in a breath of air, his words slicing through her more painful than she imagined. "A friend shouldn't hurt a friend."

Nodding, he pushed his fingers through his hair and sighed. "No, they shouldn't."

*****

To everyone's surprise, Richard continued on as though nothing had changed. He still stared at her when he thought she wasn't looking and did everything he could to make sure she was taken care of. Zedd knew why his grandson went on this way, it was his last chance to be with the woman he loved and once she took a mate, she would change forever. He wanted her to forever remember what it was like to have a man truly care for her and her needs, but not because he was forced to. He didn't know if it was more for himself than her.

They were four days outside of Aydindril when they were given shelter at a small Inn and tavern. Kahlan was greeted warmly by the owner, who, as Richard suspected, was an important woman herself. It was impossible for him to breathe, each moment he sat at his table alone was another he wished her from his mind. They all had said goodnight more than two hours ago, but here he remained, unable to clear his mind for sleep. Her room was at the end of the hallway, making it nearly impossible for him to think about anything else. If he was to run to her door now, there would be no stopping him.

She had given no pause since they arrived, and the smile he had seen on her face through the day had come to make him uneasy. How could she smile when in a few days, another man would be laying above her. He wanted her in his arms forever, but it was impossible. She had made her decision and who was he to ask her to change it? This is who she was, her destiny. He would support her choice.

Standing, he fought the urge to kick over his chair in frustration, not wanting to cause a disturbance or problem for Kahlan. He needed to get to his room and lock himself in, away from all desires and temptation. Closing the door, he pushed his back against it and sucked in a much needed breath. His room was on the far end of the opposite hallway, away from the others and he was grateful for it. Pulling off his vest and shirt, he tossed them onto the bed, kicking off his boots as he walked to the washing station.

The water was still warm, refreshing as he pooled it in his hands and splashed it against his face. It had been a few months since they had such a luxury, it relaxed him. For the first time in days he didn't feel his own pain. He felt hers. Turning, he wiped his face dry with a small towel and walked to the door. The moment he reached it, someone knocked.

The sight of her took his breath away. Kahlan stood before him in a thin, and practically see through, white nightgown that stopped just above her knees. Some of her hair was over her shoulders, hiding only part of her breasts. Her eyes were deeper than usual, standing out against her porcelain skin and dark hair. He felt as though all the air was suddenly sucked from his chest.

She parted her lips to say something but stopped herself as she let her eyes fall to the few drops of water that had landed on his chest. They were silent, both staring at the other in a way that made them weak; a way that would end them. She reached out, laying the index finger of her right hand against his chest and ever so slowly began moving it down through a single drop of water. When he didn't stop her, she flattened her palm against him and stepped in close. Moving into his room, she kicked the door shut, her eyes never leaving his. His heart pounded beneath his chest, racing with passion as he stood completely still.

Leaning forward, she moved her hand to his neck and brought him to her. The kiss was more than passionate, their lips, tongues and teeth pulling, sucking and biting at the other, trying to release what had built up within them. Richard stumbled back as she pushed against him, the need overwhelming her. They flopped onto the bed, both releasing a low moan as they brought the other closer. Sitting up above him, she pulled at her nightgown, freeing herself before him.

His mouth opened for air at the vision of her. She was more beautiful than he had ever imagined. Her eyes remained on his as she sat still, waiting for him to continue as he found it difficult to move. Swallowing, he brought his hands to her sides and pushed up until they could go no farther. Taking her breasts in his hands, he squeezed gently, withholding a long moan as she rocked against him. She was perfect in every way, from the soft coverage of freckles to the scared skin that told her story. This was the only woman for him.

She remained still above him, allowing him to view and examine her body, almost as though she was giving him a chance to change his mind about her. His hands covered her, there were so many things to learn and he didn't want to waste time. He wanted to know where she hurt, what made her jump, tingle and what set her on fire. If he didn't learn everything, he would go mad. The long scar on the left side of her stomach was more sensitive than the others, making her body tense each time he touched it. It was a wound he knew all too well, he had one of his own and no scar came close to one given by an agiel.

Sitting up, he pulled her against him in a hug, committing the feeling to his memory before he lowered her to the bed. His lips moved over her neck, following his hands as he sought to completely explore her beautiful form. Each moan and gasp told him something new, teaching him what she liked and what she wanted. Abandoning the blankets on the bed, she grabbed his hair and pulled, hesitant to allow him to descend any further. His lips traced below her belly button, her body bucking against him for something she couldn't explain. She had never known anything like this, but she trusted him completely and would allow him to continue.

Her gasp for air echoed around them, replacing the sound of everything else in existence. She went back to the blankets, pulling frantically as she tried to keep from crying out. Pleasures like this should not exist. He stopped abruptly, bringing forth a moan of disappointment from deep within her. Kissing his way back up her body, he paused to slide his tongue from her belly button to her breasts, moving between them until he reached her neck.

Reconnecting their lips, he pushed against her as she hooked her legs around his. She could taste herself on his tongue, making her arousal grow wildly. Within seconds, her hands were between them; pulling at the laces of his pants. Using her legs to remove the fabric from his waist, she took him in her hand and pulled gently. He broke their kiss with a loud and heated moan, his body leaning off of the edge. Pushing into her hand, he dropped his head into the crook of her neck and gasped.

Reaching between them, he grabbed her hand to stop her movements, helping her guide him to her entrance. Lifting his head, he met her eyes.

"I love you." He nearly jumped as her eyes changed. She was different than before. "Kahlan?"

She pushed up against him, trying to continue through his firm hold. Her eyes fell closed and she pulled against him, doing exactly what was needed to weaken him. Releasing her hand, he tried to push what he had seen out of his mind; tried to give her what she wanted, but he couldn't. He was gone in an instant, but he didn't go far. Sitting up, she reached for him, trying to pull him back to her, but he didn't move. He was sitting in the opposite side of the bed, his heart pounding and his body about to explode.

Wrapping her arms around him, she moved her hands over his chest and stomach, moving down to where he needed her. Through it wasn't completely her, a part of her found its way to him. Pressing her lips to the back of his shoulder, she took hold of him and slowly moved her hand. He was gone instantly and suddenly she wasn't against him any longer.

Turning around, he lifted her into his arms and laid her at the top of the bed, covering her naked body. He had no idea what had happened, but the peaceful look on her face told him not to get their friends. They had both been drinking and he didn't want to bring in more attention than he had to. Moving to the top of the bed, he leaned against the wall and looked down at her, watching her sleep. If he hadn't taken that moment to tell her that he loved her, he wouldn't have looked into her eyes; he wouldn't have seen that something was wrong. Their love may have saved her.


	2. Chapter 2

"What have you done?!" Zedd shouted as he burst through the door. "Do you have any idea how foolish this was?!"

Richard jolted awake, lifting his head from the pillow he shared with her. She didn't move. Looking to the wizard, he blinked away the sleep and shook his head. "No- Zedd nothing happened." It was then he realized what the wizard saw. Their blanket had fallen throughout the night, now only covering their waists down. They were still naked, her chest pressed against his. Checking Kahlan, he pulled the blanket to cover her as he sat up.

"What have you done?"

Shaking his head, he began to explain, telling him almost everything that had happened. He made sure to leave out most of the details, knowing how upset his grandfather would become.

"She never spoke to you?"

"No."

Tilting his head, the older man sighed. "Did you see how many drinks she had with Emma before she retired?"

"Four, but Zedd, Kahlan wasn't- It wasn't the drinks."

"I don't know what else it could be. She would not simply come to you and ignore the risks."

"I," All eyes moved to her as she rolled onto her back, raising her hand to block the light from her eyes. "Have no magic."

"What?" The men asked in unison.

"She gave me something. I didn't think that it would work, but it did. I don't have any magic."

"Why would you do that? Kahlan it's a part of you."

Zedd looked up at Richard, who continued to stare at her. "How did you notice she was different?"

"He looked into my eyes, Zedd and he knew. He- He knew something was wrong."

"Did you think that I wouldn't? Kahlan, I've looked into your eyes so many times, I would notice anything."

"Why didn't you realize at the start?" Zedd asked curiously.

Sitting up, Kahlan held the blanket to her chest and looked around the floor. "I didn't want him to." Motioning to her nightgown, she sighed. "I was wearing that."

"And then she wasn't," Richard added softly and without thought. "Kahlan, why did you do that?"

She looked at Zedd, who understood completely. "I'm going to see what has kept Cara in the kitchen."

The moment he was on the other side of the door, she sighed. "I should get dressed."

Richard held her still with a small smile. "You're wearing more now."

"I can't sit with you like this."

"Why?"

She stated down at the bed "Because of what happened last night." She was ashamed; hated herself for trying to trick him, but she had grown desperate and knew that she wouldn't have had the courage to speak to him about it. "We should get dressed. If we leave early enough, we-"

He was on top of her, his knees holding himself up on both her sides in an attempt to keep her still. "No. I'm not going to let you go without talking to me. Kahlan, this was your decision. All I'm asking for is the truth."

"You already know the truth."

"Why would you give up your magic?"

"I wanted to be with you." She whispered so softly, he wasn't sure she had spoken at all. "I wanted to- I wanted know what it felt like..."

"What?"

Shaking her head, she looked away, staring across the room at the wall. "I didn't want to hurt you."

Leaning down, he nuzzled his nose against her cheek. "You didn't have to change yourself. I would give you anything you ask." Her eyes closed as he moved again, laying his head against her chest. "Your heart is pounding."

"It's always pounding when you're close to me."

He moved until they were both on their sides, facing each other. Taking her hand, he brought it to his chest and smiled. "So is mine."

She kept her hand against his chest for a moment, remembering the way it had felt against hers before jerking it away as she remembered more of the night. The things that he had done to her drove her wild and his every touch made her moan and gasp like she never imagined. She had seen him, touched him and yet, she didn't truly feel as though she had done something wrong. Her mind replayed it all, the way he felt, smelled and how his body gave into her touch. A simple touch of her hand had pushed him into his pleasure and she liked the knowledge of it.

As her mind wandered, her hand found its way back to his chest, this time for another purpose. When she gathered the strength to meet his eyes, she smiled. His eyes were closed and his lips parted with a soft grin. He looked the way she felt and she found it entirely contorting. She knew they should get going, but she couldn't bear to move out of his arms. Pushing closer to him, she ran her hands over his chest to his stomach, knowing that it would bring his eyes to open.

"I don't have my magic back yet..."

She could see his mind spinning in thought, his body now responding to hers. "If I make love to you now, I'm telling you that this is the woman I want to be with, but it's not. Kahlan you're so much more than this. I would never want you to change. Not for me." He sighed, rolling onto his back to keep from touching her completely. "I thought about it last night, after you fell asleep."

"Thought about what?"

"You," he said through a whisper. "I think you're doing the right thing, going to Aydindril."

Nodding quickly, she sat up and threw her legs over the bed, grabbing the nightgown off of the floor. Dressing as quickly as she could, she forced herself not to look back at him, not to let him know how much he had just hurt her. "You're right."

Richard sat up as she walked to the door, his eyes focused on the back of her head as she pulled her hair out of the cloth. "Kahlan wait, please."

"We should get moving. I want to get home as soon as possible."

"When you- When you take your mate," he felt like he would vomit, the words making him sick, but he needed to say it before she left. "You get to be yourself." She turned slowly, but made sure to keep from meeting his eyes. "He gets to be with the real you, the woman who has done so much for everyone and never thought of herself. Kahlan, you deserve someone you don't have to change for; someone more."

Turning back to the door, she closed her eyes for a moment as she reached for the doorknob. "There could be no one more."

Before he could respond, she was gone.

******

The day was nearly impossible to get through. Zedd thought that it would be best to remain until her magic returned and the news didn't help. Kahlan stayed in her room, away from the others who wouldn't be able to pretend she had not made such a huge mistake. Her mind continuously replayed the events of the night before, interrupted constantly by the last set of words he had spoken to her. How could he have touched and kissed her like that when he wanted her to take a mate?

The feel of his lips still lingered on her skin, making her body tingle with need. She now wished that she hadn't gone to him. They would have gone on and maybe it wouldn't have been this hard. The man she would claim would never be able to do the things Richard had done to her, no one else could. Before, she would have gone through the night and never looked back, but now, she knew what it was supposed to be like. She didn't know what was worse, knowing what it felt like or knowing that she could never have it.

Tightening her hold on her blanket, she brought it closer to her chest and squeezed her eyes shut. If she slept, she wouldn't be able to think about him any longer, but a part of her was afraid he would be waiting in her dreams. The evening sun was upon her face, reminding her that soon it would be over and they would, once again, be on their way. She longed for the comfort of her home, it was the only place she would be able to push it all behind her. She would be safe there.

Her stomach growled in hunger, whispering in deaf ears that it was time for dinner. In order to eat, she would have to leave her room and it was not something she was ready to do. She couldn't look into his eyes, any other eyes. They knew what she had done and she felt so ashamed. The woman within her was always trying to break free and in the one moment it had, she destroyed everything she had worked for. Her mother had been right, a Confessor must always overwhelm the woman. If only she had learned the lesson sooner.

Her heart stopped at the knock on the door. Turning her head slowly, she looked over to the wood and waited. Maybe they would leave, she thought hopefully. She wished they would. Another knock and she sat up with a sigh. It was a knock that could belong to no other. Cara's annoyance could be heard clearly.

Making her way to the door, she pulled the blanket with her, using it to hide her still naked body. "What is it?" she asked as she opened the door a small crack.

The Mord'Sith peeked in, getting as good of a look as possible. "The wizard requests your presence at dinner."

"I'm not hungry. I think I'll remain in here."

The blonde met her eyes and pushed against the door until it was opened and she was able to step inside. "I could hear your stomach on the other side of the door."

"Cara, please," she said softly, pushing the door until it was nearly closed. "I want to stay in here."

"Richard left this afternoon."

She froze in shock. "What?"

"He wanted to make it was easier on you."

"Why didn't you and Zedd go with him?"

Crossing her arms, the blond leaned against the wall. "She doesn't have any magic, Cara. You need to protect her." She did her best to imitate their friend. "Once you're back at the Confessor's Palace, we're supposed to follow him."

Staring at the wooden door, Kahlan felt her body shake. "That's all he said?"

"Yes."

Forcing the emotion from her face, she turned to her friend. "All right. I'm tired, I think I'm going to try to sleep."

Cara walked out quietly, her eyes examining the Confessor carefully before allowing her to close the door. The instant it was closed, Kahlan cried.


	3. Chapter 3

Walking through the halls of the Confessor's Palace, Kahlan approached her new bedroom. She couldn't get behind the door quick enough. Opening the door, she froze. What she saw couldn't be real.

"You left."

"I came back."

"You shouldn't have."

Richard took a step forward, brushing his fingers through his hair to help him to think. "I shouldn't have left you."

Closing the door, she pushed her back against it to keep some distance between them. "But you did."

"I thought I was doing the right thing," he whispered with another step farther. "I thought that if I left, it would make it easier somehow and that you would be happier, but I realized that it hadn't been my decision."

"Wh-"

"When do you get your magic back?" She tilted her head, confused as to how he could know. "You reached for your dagger when you saw me."

"I wasn't expecting to see you."

"Kahlan?"

"I don't know," she said honestly. It hadn't been something she thought of asking when she learned what the elixir could do.

"And Zedd doesn't know?"

"No."

He had been moving closer to her slowly, making sure that he wasn't going to upset her. "What happens when your mate arrives at your door?"

"He comes to me tomorrow."

"And if you don't have your magic?"'

She looked down at the floor and watched his feet move ever closer. "I won't turn him away."

"Even if you had someone tonight?"

She looked up and met his eyes, feeling weakened by the softness. "You've already made it clear that you-"

"I changed my mind."

Pushing against him, she moved across the room and sighed. "This isn't something you can just change your mind about, Richard. You can't break somebody's heart and then change your mind! Maybe you were right, maybe this is going to make this easier."

"I was wrong."

"No you weren't," she said quickly. "You did the right thing. Tomorrow, I'm going to take a mate and continue the line of Confessors."

"I don't want you to take someone else," he told her as he walked to the bed. "Before, I thought that if we were together without your magic, you would think that was the way I wanted you and it's not. I want to be with you, the real you." He paused, waiting for her to turn around and face him. "But then I started thinking and realized-"

"That just because I didn't have any magic, I'm still the same person?"

"Almost," he said quickly. "Kahlan I kept thinking about that look in your eyes and I realized that it was not the first time you've looked at me like that. The woman I was with, that I saw has always been there. It's the part you're always trying to hide. You were- are the same woman and I'm sorry that I couldn't see it before."

They stared at each other in silence for a few minutes. They were on opposite sides of the bed, but it felt like they were merely inches apart. The sound of their breaths echoed in the others ear, reminding them how close they were and how strong their desires were. Slowly, Kahlan crawled onto the bed and made her way toward him. She looked at him like she had when she had come to his room days earlier. Keeping her eyes locked on his, she began pulling at the laces of his pants.

Instantly, he brought her to him and connected their lips. It surprised her, he knew it would. She had been testing him, trying to be sure that what he said was the truth. He could think of no better way to prove it. This was all he was able to do. His tongue pushed past her lips, fighting against hers until she gave in and let him take over.

He pulled at the top off her dress, ripping the fabric to get to her quicker. The feel of her corset made him growl in disappointment, knowing the difficulty in removing the skin tight leather. Moving his hands over her back, he found the clasp at the top, releasing most of the pressure that hid her from him. The rest was easier than he thought, the laces practically unlacing themselves as he pushed his fingers beneath the corset. Before he was able to free her body of it, she pulled his shirt over his head and moved back to allow him onto the bed.

Turning her around, he kicked off his boots and began to pull loose the laces of her corset, removing the strings all together before tossing it to the floor. Reaching around her, he ran his hands over her stomach and chest, his lips devouring the soft skin of her back as she closed her eyes. A loud moan flew freely from her lips as his tongue traced her spine, the sensation setting her on edge. Grabbing his hands, she pushed them harder against her as she turned her head to taste his lips once more. Turning in his arms, she took hold of his face and leaned back until he laid over her. Richard pushed the pillows onto the floor, making way for them as they moved in the bed.

The moment his pants hit the floor, she rolled them over. Sitting above him, she pushed her fingers through her hair, moving it out of her face as she shifted her hips. She let him guide her over him, closing her eyes as his fingers dug into her hips. He stopped suddenly, bringing her to open her eyes in a moment of fear. Staring up at her, he waited a moment before he moved her back to the bed and laid over her. This would be the first time they made love, she wouldn't take him the way she would her mate. He was going to give her what they both needed.

******

She collapsed on top of him for the fourth time, exhausted. His arms were wrapped tightly around her, keeping her against him as they gasped for air. The night had come and gone, the sun now beginning to shine through the windows and they had yet to have their fill of the other. Lifting her head, she looked down at him with a grin.

"Someone's going to come in here."

"Who would disturb the Mother Confessor?" he teased softly.

She sat up and moved to the side of the bed, covering herself with one of the soft blankets. "They're going to come to prepare me."

It was silent for a moment, both thinking the same thing. "You're still going to go through it?"

"I don't know."

Sitting up, he reached for her arm. "What do you mean, you don't know?"

Turning toward him, she crossed her legs. "I- I may not have a choice. They are expecting me to do this, it's why I'm here."

"The man you are to be with, how will you confess him when he comes to you?"

"I may not be able to," she told him. "It's not that I want to do this, I don't. Not really, but I didn't expect you to be here."

"I don't understand."

"If you weren't here, I would be with him tonight."

"Even without your magic?"

"What choice would I have? If I didn't, Zedd would know that I lied and the High Council would have me killed for what I had done." She looked over to the window and sighed. "If they knew what we just did or that I have no magic, they would have me executed."

"Why?" His face tried to remain calm, but his voice betrayed him.

"What good is a Confessor with no magic?"

"They can't just kill you-"

"They can do anything that they want. Without my magic, I have no authority to change their minds."

Trying to get closer, Richard pushed her hair over her shoulder and leaned forward, kissing her soft skin. "They won't do anything to you, I promise."

"You can't promise me that," she whispered. "Once they find out, there's nothing that can stop them."

Pulling her back against his chest, he moved them until his head was able to rest against the wall. "If you're pregnant, won't she have your magic?"

"I don't know, but since I don't have it now-"

"It's still a part of you."

"Not now."

Running his hands over her stomach, he pulled her closer and smiled. "It's still there. You can feel it rising."

Turning her head, she lifted an eyebrow. "What-"

"You've been pulling away for a few seconds as though you're afraid you'll lose control."

"You noticed that?"

Nodding, Richard tightened his hold on her. "What are you going to do?"

"Wait and see. If I get my magic back-"

"You're going to go through with it?"

"No," she said quickly. She didn't want to give him a moment to think that it was what she wanted to do. "If I get my magic back, I-" Turning around, she met his eyes. "I would want to tell them that we..." Her words trailed off into silence as she lowered her eyes to the bed. "We should get dressed."

"Kahlan-"

She was standing beside the bed, trying to keep the blanket around her as she reached for her dress. "We can't tell them what we did, not until-" Looking over her shoulder, she gave him a small, frightened smile. "I have a plan, if you're up for it."

"Why do you need a plan?"

"You never wondered why Zedd was so upset that I came to you?" With a shake of his head, she continued. "He wasn't mad that I didn't have my magic, Richard. He knew what would happen to me if we laid together and the High Council found out." She had abandoned her dress, telling him that what she was going to say was more than important. "The honor of a Confessor can only be taken by her mate. If she- When I was a girl, I watched them kill one of my kind because she had been raped and they thought that she- A Confessor is not to be touched by any other man other than her mate. It's the way it's always been."

"Why would they- Kahlan, why would you come to me? You-" He was looking around the room to make sure they were alone, suddenly understanding why she had made sure the door was locked before and why she had made sure they stayed away from the window as they moved around the room. "You risked you life to be with me."

Avoiding his statement, she went back to her dress and turned away from him. "You need to get dressed."


	4. Chapter 4

"Richard!" Zedd said joyfully as he ran into him in the hallway. "When did you arrive?"

"A while ago," he lied.

"What changed your mind?"

Walking along side the wizard, Richard looked around to distract himself from saying what he really wanted to. "I didn't think it was right to have left her. This is who she is, who am I to ask for things to change?"

"Have you seen her yet?

"No," he lied again. "I don't think she wants to see me."

"You hurt her."

"I know." Rounding a final corner, they entered the kitchen and the smile on the wizard's widened and the Seeker turned away. "I'm going to find Cara."

"She's helping Kahlan prepare." Richard's heart stopped for a moment. "She chooses the man within the hour."

She had told him it was soon, but he hadn't believed her. Turning back to the older man, he sighed. "I should leave her to it."

Zedd froze and abandoned his reach for a fresh roll of bread. "You're not going to try to stop her?"

"No."

"No?" he questioned.

"I don't want to make this any harder. If I find her, I'll try to convince her that she doesn't have to do this and I already know how it will end."

"You already saw her, didn't you?"

"Yes," Richard replied without thought, his mind focused on the thought of her with someone else.

"When did you-"

Barely listening, he grabbed a small bowl of grapes from the table beside him. "Last night. I was waiting in her room."

"She doesn't have her magic back does she?"

"No."

Grabbing his arm, Zedd pulled him from the kitchen and into the hall, making him drop the grapes to the floor. "What have you done?!" He shouted through a whisper, his voice filled with anger and fear.

"We didn't do anything wrong, Zedd."

The older man looked around them to be sure they were still alone. "You did everything wrong. Do you have any idea what they will do to her when they find out what you've done? Richard, if they do not find out before, the man she is with will know she was taken before and he will tell the High Council the truth of it. Kahlan will be severely punished for this."

"No she won't," he said confidently. "I will not let anything happen to her. Ever."

"You cannot stand against them. You both will be killed."

"They're not going to find out," Richard insisted quietly.

"She will be examined."

"What? Why would they-"

"She's the last Confessor and she has yet to take a mate. If they find out that she's already been taken, if she doesn't claim you, she must have conceived a child or her life will be taken."

He felt confident for a moment. They had made love several times the previous night and after each time, while she laid in his arms, he silently prayed that he had just given her a child. "She will claim me."

Zedd stepped back, shocked and confused. "She told you that?"

"Not in so many words."

"Richard, Kahlan loves you. I do not believe she has any intention of claiming you."

"I asked her to. I would rather be confessed to her than live a day without her."

The sympathetic look on his grandfather's face was almost as painful as the words that followed. "She will not confess you."

"How can you be sure?"

"She loves you."

Shaking his head, he turned and took a few steps down the hall. "If she loved me, she wouldn't have asked me to leave her room this morning." With a heavy sigh, he looked back to his friend. "No, I know she loves me, but I- I wish that I could change this. I don't want her to do this, I don't want another man near her, but I can't lose her. If this is what has to happen to keep her, then this is how it must be."

"You're going to sit back and let her have a man thrust into her?" His word choice was perfect, rattling his grandson as planned.

"I love her," he stated factually.

Stepping closer, he motioned down the hall as the Mother Confessor and Mord'Sith walked toward them. "Here she comes."

******

"What are you going to do?"

They stood in the garden alone, their small group awaiting the answer to the question the Seeker had just asked. All eyes were on her as she stared blankly at the ground. No matter what decision she made, it could all end badly and she didn't want to hurt him again. The sun was right above them, burning the time into their minds and reminding them they were almost out of time.

"Richard, I don't want you to-"

"I won't," he said quickly, knowing exactly what she was thinking.

"I might." He smiled at her response, pleased with it. "After what happened, I- I don't think that this is a good idea."

Stepping closer to her, he lowered his voice. "Why not? Kahlan this is perfect; this is our way out, our beginning."

"This is not a way out, Richard. If I claim you, I- It's going to be so much harder."

"Only if we let it. We can do this, Kahlan."

Her cheeks reddened for a moment as she remembered the night before. "I will get my magic back soon and once I do, we could never be together again and I- After what happened last night, I don't think that I-"

"Me either, but I will try. Unless," he added almost silently, letting it trail off. He was against her, his body touching hers as he took her face in his hands. "We can do this."

"This is a bad idea," she breathed out quietly.

She had forgotten that they weren't alone; that they weren't in her room as they had been the night before. In her mind, in that moment, they were all that existed. He leaned forward, their kiss was meant to be quick, but she put an end to that. She could feel her magic returning within her and she didn't want to waste the last few moments she had of freedom. Pushing her tongue past his lips, she pulled him closer, stumbling backward as she tried to find something to lean against.

"If you two go any farther, you're going to fall into the river." Zedd's voice stopped them instantly, pulling them apart with heavy gasps.

Licking her lips quickly, she looked over her shoulder. "I have to get back to the palace."

"Kahlan please," he said quietly, taking hold of her right hand. "Our child could be growing inside of you."

******

The cold metal of the Rada'Han rubbed against her neck, irritating the skin as she lifted her head from the ground. The words he had spoken last echoed in her mind, reminding her why she was chained to the wall. She didn't remember them bringing her down to the dungeons, but from the pains all over her body, she knew it had been some time ago. Looking around the dark, gray cell, she searched for him. If he wasn't in the cell with her, she knew what was happening to him. Pulling at the chains, she tried to get free, grateful that she was able to move away from the wall.

The cell was one of their smaller ones, used mostly for short term prisoners before they were confessed. She was surrounded almost entirely by stone, the only openness being the long, thick bars of the door that separated her from the outside. The chains that bound her were thick, but lighter than she expected. It made it easier for her to move and she was grateful for it. Sitting so close to the wall made her feel like she had done something wrong and she couldn't stand to think that what she and Richard has done was wrong. The previous night had been beautiful.

Reaching the door, she saw her standing on the other side of the tall, thick bars. "How long have they been questioning him?"

The Mord'Sith frowned and stepped forward. "Two hours."

"Is he all right?"

"He's fine," she said as Kahlan grabbed the bars.

"He sent you down here, didn't he?" The look on her friends face said it all. If she had a choice, she wouldn't be there. Pulling at the chains again, she tried to get free. "I have to get out of here. If they think he's to blame, they will kill him too. Cara, you have to get to him, you have to make sure they don't hurt him."

"They didn't hurt me." Moving to her feet, she reached through the bars for him, desperately needing to touch him. "They won't let you out, Kahlan. I'm sorry."

"It's fine," she whispered, pulling him closer by the shirt. "Are you all right?"

Nodding, he leaned forward and pushed his head through the bars until their forehead rested against each others. "I'm fine. Kahlan, I'm going to find a way to get you out of here."

"There's only one way out, Richard. We just have to wait."

"You shouldn't be down here, Kahlan."

"Please stop saying my name like that."

"Like what?" he asked as she took a small step back.

"You keep saying it like you may never have the chance again."

Pulling her back to him, he squeezed her hands, rubbing his thumbs over the tops. "I'm sorry. I'm just- I'm so afraid that I'm going to lose you." Bring his head to the bars, he closed his eyes and waited for her to meet him. "I'm so sorry."

"This isn't your fault," she whispered softly. "I knew the consequences; you didn't."

"I shouldn't have said anything. If I had just let you do what you needed to, this would have gone differently."

Her smile surprised him, though he realized that it shouldn't have. "I'm glad that you did. We didn't do anything wrong."

"They disagree."

"They usually do." She stumbled backward for a brief moment, gripping his hands tightly to stabilize herself. "I'm sorry. I'm a little dizzy."

"Are you all right?" Nodding, she stepped forward and leaned against the bars. "You should probably eat," he whispered. "You've been through a lot."

She smiled weakly, "I'm fine, Richard. What did they ask you?"

He seemed hesitant, unsure of the right answer. He didn't want to upset her by giving the full answer, but he wasn't sure how to manipulate it. He never lied to her before. "They didn't ask anything important."

"Liar."

"They asked if we had done this before. They wanted to know what the chances were. Then they- Kahlan, if you're not carrying my child, they made it clear what they would do to you." Leaning in close, he kissed her slowly, trying to ease both of their minds. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

"I know," she said softly while pulling gently at his shirt. Stepping back, she turned away and whispered a quiet prayer.

"Kahlan?"

"What did they say about you?"

"What did you mean?" he asked looking around them. "They didn't say anything about me."

Turning back to him, she stepped forward and grabbed the cold bars of the door. "They said nothing about you?" When he shook his head, she pushed her head into the bars and looked at Cara. "You can't let him go anywhere alone."

"Kahlan, they didn't show any interest in me."

"How many guards are on the other side of that door?"

"Five."

Licking her lips, she shook her head. "There's never more than two. The others followed you. Richard, they are not going to just let you go. Not if..." Her words trailed off to silence as she thought. It now accrued to her that if she wasn't pregnant; it wasn't her life that would be taken. If the council was going to kill her, they would have done it hours ago. "Richard, I need you to promise me something."

The concern on his face grew wild for a moment as he nodded. "Anything."

She studied his face for a moment. "If I'm not- If I'm not pregnant, you'll go. You will leave me here and you will go, find the stone of tears and never look back." He reached through the bars as he shook his head, trying to think of a way to get through to her. "Richard, please, if you stay here, they will kill you. You have to leave."

"Not without you. Kahlan, I will not leave you here to die!" He was shaking the bars of the door as he spoke, the anger burning within him. "I can't. I will never leave you."

Lowering herself to her knees at the door, she leaned her shoulder against the bars. "Then you'll die too."

Kneeling on the other side, he reached out for her and brought her closer. "We will die together someday, but not here and not like this." He felt himself tense for a moment; he would never be able to expostulate with her about this. A small smile crept onto his lips as he pushed his face between the bars. "When we die, we'll be old and in bed, holding each other tightly until our last breath."

She turned her head toward him with a small smile on her own mouth. "We may not live that long."

He kissed her for a brief moment, "At least we lived. Let me see your hands." She looked at him in confusion for a moment, but did as he asked. Taking a small key from his vest, he began unlocking the cold metal around her wrists. "I took this from one of the council members."

Rubbing her wrists, she took in a deep breath of relief. "Thank you."

"You're going to get out of there soon."

Meeting his eyes, she shook her head. "How can you be sure?"

"Because I will do everything I can to get you out."

Kahlan reconnected their lips, kissing him passionately as though the were alone. For a few moments, they weren't in the dungeons and she wasn't awaiting the most important moment of her life. Pulling back, she waited a moment to open her eyes, wanting to burn the last in her mind in case it all went wrong. "You should go, the council will send someone down here soon."

"They already have."

The Seeker turned to the unfamiliar voice, reaching for his sword in an instinct to protect the woman he loved. The woman now standing beside the Mord'Sith was short with blonde hair, making her large green eyes stand out all the more. Richard knew instantly who she was, he had met her before. Releasing the hilt of his sword, he's relaxed his shoulders, realizing that the woman was not a threat. She was carrying a small plate of food, food that he noticed was something that he would never allow anyone to eat.

Laying the plate into the floor, she pushed it beneath the door to Kahlan. "They have sent for Madeline, she will be with us in three days time."

Richard began to ask who the woman was, when she spoke. "She'll be able to tell them if we conceived a child," the Confessor whispered, staring at the wall across from her. "She's the best."

He knew what was going through her mind, she would drive herself mad thinking about it, but he wouldn't be able to stop her. She was too obstinate. "Kahlan," he breathed out quietly, bringing her to look at him. "Whatever her opinion is, it's inconsequential. This is our life, if we did not conceive a child, we will try again."

"Why would you want to go through this again?" She was doing her best to keep her voice calm, his soft, honey eyes making it difficult to keep from melting into a world she could not live. "If I am not with child, they will kill us. Everything we have felt; have done has been for nothing. Why would you want to do it again?"

His warm smile eased her racing heart, bringing her to a steady calm that took over her. "Because I love you." Taking her hand in his he turned her toward him and stared into her deep ocean eyes. They were wet with tears that she refused to let fall, knowing that the instant they did, her strength would be lost. "I would do this everyday for the rest of my life as long as it's with you."

He brought his hands to her face as he had spoken, gently caressing her soft cheeks. "I'm scared," she admitted shamefully as he began to wipe her tears with his thumbs.

Licking his lips, he nodded. "Me too, but I refuse to lose you." His head was through the bars, pushing his forehead against hers. "This will not beat us. We're stronger than this."

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I must speak with the Mother Confessor alone."

His hands tightened on her for a moment as he grew more afraid of letting her go. "It's all right, Richard."

"I don't want to leave you."

Smiling, she took hold of his hands and moved them from her body. "You can come back."

Once they were alone, the woman stepped close to the bars and waited for Kahlan to stand.

"Why did you send him to my room?"

Raising an eyebrow, the other woman grinned. "We could all see the reluctance from the moment you arrived and then I saw him." Her smiled widened as the Mother Confessor stepped closer. "He had the same look on his face as you did and I will admit that I could not have seen this going so well. I thought at best, he would convince you not to do it, but you let him tear your clothes off."

"What happens to us, Robin?"

"The forfeit of your lives is the law, but since you are the last Confessor, I think we can arrange something."

"What did you have in mind?"

"It depends on you," the blonde said with a smile.


	5. Chapter 5

Richard had returned to her the moment Robin had left. The half hour he had spent on the other side of the dungeon door had felt like an eternity and he began to image what would happen next if he couldn't save her. The moment she was within his sight, he gave a sigh of relief.

"What's wrong?" Her question wasn't a surprise, she wouldn't miss the new found worry and fear that was written on his face.

"Nothing," he replied quickly. "I was just thinking."

"Robin offered us a way out."

His spirits lifted instantly. "And you took it?"

"No," she whispered, looking down to the stone as she lowered herself to the ground. "Only one of her options would be my decision."

Crouching down, Richard brushed the fingers of his right hand through his hair. "What do you mean? What options?"

Closing her eyes, she took in a quick breath. "If I am not with child, you must leave here and never come back."

"And after I'm gone, you take a mate."

"Yes."

"What is the other choice?"

Meeting his eyes, her frown deepened. "There are three more. If I am carrying our child, again, you must leave and you can have no contact with her-"

"What? Kahlan, she's my child. How could I not have-"

"There is a final option."

"What is it?"

"You remain here," Richard's face grew hopeful for a moment, pleased with the way this one began. "with Robin."

"No, Kahlan, no. How- I would never stay with another woman. This is madness, how could she give you those kind of choices? How could she expect me to leave you, even of you are not carrying my child." He paused for a moment, rethinking everything she had said. "You said that there were three more, what's the last option she have you?"

"Our deaths." The bottom of his fist slammed into the bars with an angry growl. "Richard please, you have to take one of them."

"Why?" he questioned restlessly, moving to his feet. "She set us up and now she wants to destroy us."

"You knew?"

Nodding, he quickened the speed of his pace. "Not at first, but the moment I saw her with the council today, I knew who she was and I put it together. Kahlan, I don't understand. She didn't know that you and I could- We can't let her win. There has to be another way." He froze and turned to face her, feeling her distress. "What?"

"I'm not pregnant."

The color drained from his face for a moment as he dropped to his knees. "Are you sure?"

"A Confessor knows, she can feel the child within her... I'm not carrying your child." He gave no effort to hide the disappointment on his face. "You have to take one of her offers."

"I can't. I won't agree to something that will take me away from you, it would kill me. We still have a chance, that woman won't be here for a few days. We can-"

"No, we can't. Richard, we're lucky they didn't kill us the moment they found out. If we were to try again, they would- They will kill you without hesitation."

"I don't care," he told her honestly.

Reaching through the bars, she grabbed his face and pulled him close. "You should. If I lost you... You have to make a choice."

"I won't leave without you and I will not stay with another woman." His mind was made up and nothing she said could change it. He would die for her at any moment, a fact they both knew. "We can try again, Kahlan."

She smiled for a brief moment. "I'm in here and you're out there."

Reaching into his vest, he pulled out another key, this one much larger than before. "Cara gave this to me as Robin left you." Her hands left his face, withdrawing to her sides. "We can try again, Kahlan. Last night can be ours again, here and now. We can be as we want."

She nodded cautiously, her body instantly warming at the hunger in his eyes. She would never get use to a man looking at her in that way. She didn't want to. Scooting away from the door, she waited as he unlocked it and stepped inside. To her surprise, he laid down beside her and closed his eyes. Without thought, she moved into his arms, laying her head on his chest as he hugged her tightly.

"I'm sorry, Richard."

His eyes opened at her words and stopped the circles he had begun tracing on her back. "Kahlan, I thought we had done it, that we had started our family."

"So did I."

"When did you realize we hadn't?"

"When I woke up in here."

Moving to his side, he laid her on her back and looked down at her. "What if you're wrong? Kahlan, maybe you can't feel here because of this, the Rada'Han blocks your magic and- Maybe its hiding this from you."

Reaching up, she laid her right hand against his cheek and smiled. "I hadn't considered that." Her voice was soft and seductive as she shifted closer to him. "That doesn't mean we shouldn't try to be sure..."

Just as their lips were about to touch, he pulled back. "You knew what would happen to you, but you risked your life twice. You nearly laid with me when I was confessed to Annabelle and then you came to my room that night at the Inn, why?"

"If we had been together that afternoon, there would have been no punishment from the High Council. You were confessed and had been-" Pushing him away from her, she sat forward and crossed her legs. She couldn't continue with him so close to her. "A Confessor may give another someone they had confessed. Many believed it to be easier than destroying another man for such a purpose." Meeting his eyes, she saw something unexpected and heartwarming. He wasn't looking at her any differently than he had before. "I hoped that it wouldn't have been so hard."

"I shouldn't have said what I did." She opened her mouth to respond, but stopped herself instantly. "What?"

"Nothing," she lied softly. "If I asked you something, would-"

"You can ask me anything, Kahlan."

It was silent for a moment as she gathered her courage, there was one question she had always wanted to ask, but there had never been an opportunity. "When you were confessed... I know what happens, but I-"

Closing his eyes for a moment, he sighed and sat up. "You want to know what it was like for me."

"You don't have to tell me, Richard. I shouldn't-"

"I don't mind," he interrupted quickly. And he didn't. Truthfully, he longed to tell her how it had helped him better understand his love for her. "I- It wasn't like I thought it would be. I could feel her constantly, her fear and I knew what she needed. I loved her. Everything that had mattered to me before, no longer existed. I could still remember it all, I knew that I loved you, but all I could get my mind to focus on was her. I felt like I was on fire the entire time and nothing I did made it any different." Meeting her eyes, he gave a small, sad smile. "I knew that I could trust you though. That was until you tried to kill her and suddenly I knew that the way I had felt about you, the way feel about you now, was the same way I felt about her after she confessed me. But being confessed was like a pressure that surrounded me, it hurt and now, with you... I'm free."

Leaning back against the wall, he sighed. "Every moment I was so afraid I would disappoint her and she would hate me. I feared every move I made and every word I spoke. I could remember how I was before and then- Kahlan when she told me to make love to you and give you a child, I was so hurt that she wanted me to be with someone I no longer loved and I told her that I didn't love you. Without the love I have for you, my world is Cimmerian. I never want to feel that way again."

"You won't have to," she told him through a saddened whisper.

Turning toward her, he shook his head. "Not confession. I never want to lose the feelings I have for you. The memory of those few hours, of loving someone else, have been more painful than anything I've ever experienced. The look in your eye when I told you that I loved her, it still haunts me." Coming to his knees, he removed the space between, cupping her cheeks in his hands, he leaned forward. "I never want to hurt you." There were tears in her eyes as she stared into his, lost in the sight she never wanted to lose. "I will never hurt you again, I promise."

Grabbing his face, she pushed her forehead against his as she pushed him back. "I know." Crawling over his legs, she kissed him, letting herself go completely.

******

When he awoke and sat forward, he smiled. Kahlan was sitting against the wall on his right, her head back and her eyes closed with her hands on her stomach. He knew instantly what she was trying to do.

"Do you feel her?"

Opening her eyes, she shook her head slowly. "No."

"You didn't sleep, did you?"

"I couldn't, not without knowing. Richard, if she's there... I don't feel her."

Moving toward her, he smiled kindly. "You will." Laying down, he rested his head in her lap and looked up at her. "And when you do, I'll be here."

Dropping her right hand to the top of his head, she sighed softly. "What if she's not there?"

He grinned, "Then she will be. According to the council, Confessor's are very fertile." His words had the desired effect. She nearly laughed, gifting him with a wide and easy smile. "We'll start our family, Kahlan."

Running her fingers through his hair, she leaned her head back against the wall. "I hope so."

"At least we know one thing."

"What?"

"We're not going to name her Robin."

Laughing, she looked down at his playful smile. "How do you always know what to say to make me feel better?"

"I know you."

Returning her head to the wall, she closed her eyes and sighed. "What are we going to do when she comes back?"

"We can't take one of her deals, Kahlan."

"I don't want you chained in here with me."

Bringing her hands to his chest, he held them firmly. "As long as you're in here, so am I."

"You don't understand, Richard. I will be freed, but there is no reason to free you." The subtle smile on his lips surprised her. "Why are you smiling?"

Shifting his position in her lap, he grinned. "Because I was thinking... Kahlan if you-" He sat up and brushed his hair back with his fingers, buying him an extra moment to find the right words. "We'll both be free if you claim me as-"

"No," Kahlan said instantly, shaking her head to emphasize her decision. "I can't do that to you."

"I know," he said as he turned his body to face hers. "I'm not talking about confession Kahlan."

"I don't understand."

"There is a way you can claim me without confession. People have been doing it for years." Her face remained confused, bringing a wide smile to his. Of course she wasn't able to follow his words. They were leading to a place she was never allowed to dream of going. "Marry me."

"What?" She spoke so quickly, neither were sure that she had done more than squeak.

"Marry me, Kahlan and I will be yours... Forever."

He could see every emotion as they filled her; she gave no attempt to hide them from him. "I can't marry you, Richard."

Nothing could have prepared him for her answer, but the intense pain of her face matched the way he felt, making it a little easier for him to breathe. She was staring at the ground now, unable to keep her eyes on his as he soaked in her words. He didn't understand why she had said no, but he couldn't bring himself to ask her. Nodding slowly, he swallowed the lump that had collected in his throat, doing his best to keep his hurt and disappointment hidden from her. "I'll get you something to eat."

Before she could say anything, he was walking through the door, leaving her alone in her suddenly much smaller cell. Grabbing to the bars, she leaned forward and watched him as he left. She wanted to call out and tell him that he didn't understand, but quickly realized that this could be his freedom. When she told him what Robin had said, she left out many details, knowing what they would do to him. She never wanted him to know.

Robin walked through the door, surprising the Mother Confessor as she entered with two other council members. The three women bared smiles, seeming to be pleased to have her alone.

"Have you come to a decision?"

Nodding, Kahlan stood, pushing her shoulders back. "I have." Meeting Robin's eyes, she hardened her features. "You are not to go near him or you will get none of the things you've asked for. I will take a mate, but only after Richard has gone and you will guarantee his safety."

"We will not."

"Yes, you will and you will do more than that. The instant he is gone, you will forget any wrong you believe he has done and none of you will stand in his way should he take his place as Lord Rahl."

"And your child?"

Tightening her hold on the bars, she nearly growled. "If I am with child, you will stay away from our daughter and you will never have any say on how she is raised and where she goes. I will not keep her from him."

"You will give the Seeker access to the girl? No, we cannot allow it."

"You have no other choice. If you deny one of my demands, you receive none of yours. Richard will be able to see his child."

"He is a Rahl. He will never see the child."

"If you don't and he learns that I gave birth to his child and you hid her from him, he will kill you all and I will not stop him."

"He would never find out," Robin said through a smile.

With a sly smile, she stepped even closer to the bars. "I would tell him."

The blonde frowned. "Why is it so important to you that he knows the child?"

"He deserves at least that much. Do we have an agreement?"

"All of your demands have nothing for you to gain. Why would you-"

"If I carry Richard's child, I've gained more than I could ever demand."

"Very well, we have an agreement. We will inform the Seeker-"

"You will do no such thing," Kahlan said vigorously. "I will be the one to tell him and in my own time."

"You already have." All eyes turned toward his voice as he walked toward them. "You made the decision the moment she asked, didn't you? That's why you- Kahlan, I asked you to marry me and you..." Shaking his head, he pushed back the rest of his thought to make room for another. "Can you give us a moment, please?" The other women left them at once, the Seeker's agitation more than obvious. The instant they were alone, he turned toward her and laid down the tray of food.

"Richard, you have to-"

"No," he interrupted quickly. "I need you to talk to me and I need the truth."

"The deal has already been made."

Giving her a heavy sigh, he stepped forward. "And what is the deal, Kahlan?"

"You already know."

"I know part of it. I want to know it all. I want to know what it is that made you agree to this and leave me."

Licking her lips, she fought to keep herself breathing as she looked into his eyes and found herself crippled. "I'm no longer the Mother Confessor," she whispered after a long moment. "It was a part of every deal she offered. The power and standing that I had now belongs to her until my daughter is old enough to take it from her. In exchange, you get to leave this palace alive."

"No," he whispered, suddenly regretting his fuming anger. "You can't do this-"

"I already have."

Slamming the bottom of his fist against the bars, he shouted. "No!"

She jumped in surprise. "Thinking that anything else could ever come from this, that we could ever have that kind of life... We were fooling ourselves."

"How can you say that? After last night; the night before and everything we've gone through. Kahlan we're supposed to be together."

Reaching forward, she rested her right hand over his left, holding it firmly for a brief moment of contact. "I know."

He could feel their entire existence withering away into their touch, knowing that it could very well be the last moment the two of them shared and he refused to let it end that way. Pulling open the cell door, he stepped inside and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. His heart was racing, mind spinning in thoughts and images that begged him to talk her out of it all; to make her take it all back. She gave up everything for him. She wanted him to be able to live, but she didn't understand that without her, he couldn't. He would do the same for her.

Stepping back, he stared into her eyes, praying that she was able to see the truth of his words. "When they free you, when the Rada'Han comes off, confess me. No Kahlan, please. If you confess me, I'm yours. We can spend the rest of our lives together, happy. I can make love to you forever. When you're freed, take me."

Tears stained her cheeks as she struggled to remember to breathe. The strength of his words, the power of their meaning and the complete lack of fear haunted her. For an instant, she almost agreed. "I can't," she whined softly, nearly unable to stand. "How can you ask me to destroy the man I love?"

Removing all space between them, he pressed his forehead against hers and gave a soft gasp for air. "You won't be destroying me, you will be setting me free."

"I'll lose a part of you."

Pushing forward, he kissed her roughly, meeting the same desperation and passion within her. They pulled the other closer, needing to feel their skin together at once. The night before had been wildly passionate, neither of them hesitated or held back as they tried to create a child. This was no different. They could spend the rest of their lives being together, but it would never be enough. They needed and wanted so much more.

Lifting her from the ground, he turned toward the wall, using it to hold her up as he pushed her dress out of his way. Moving his hands over her legs and thighs he brought himself even closer as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Their kiss heated consistently, growing wilder with each passing second. She pulled at his hair, lost in their kiss as he ran his hands over her. He knew what she needed and when, one touch from him at the right moment and she would be gone. He used his powers wisely.

Running his tongue along her jaw, he received a long, low moan that vibrated his entire being. She removed his shirt, sliding her fingers over his skin before the fabric hit the ground. The feel of his muscles flexing beneath her touch had quickly become one of her favorite things and she couldn't imagine her life without it. She couldn't image their lives apart. She didn't want to.


	6. Chapter 6

Tracing her fingers over his chest, she lifted her head and looked down at him. "I'm sorry, Richard."

"I know. Me too." With a sigh, he opened his eyes. "I almost walked away before, when I heard you make the deal."

"Why didn't you?"

"Because I remembered the way it felt when I left you before. I remembered that I- When it comes to you, I don't think straight and I knew that I wasn't seeing the whole picture. I know you and I know that there had to be a reason you were agreeing to whatever terms they had given you. Kahlan, I will never abandon you, I don't care about anything else. Just you."

"I can't watch you die, Richard."

"You won't have to. You've made the deal and you would never go back on your word."

Sitting up, she pulled her dress closed and sighed. "No, I wouldn't. " He watched her carefully. Following her every move as she pushed her hair over her shoulder so she would be able to lace up her dress. Looking over her shoulder, she gave a small, quick smile. "If you knew that this was going to happen, would you-"

"Yes," he answered quickly. "I would do this again and again, never changing a thing." He smiled for a moment. "That's not true. If I knew how this would end, I would try harder to stop you from giving up on us."

"I'm not giving up on us. I'm leaving room for you to find happiness, even if it's not with me."

Richard sat up and pulled her into his arms. "You don't believe that."

"I'm trying to." Turning in his arms, she lifted her dress and straddled his legs, wishing that she was able to feel his skin instead of the pants. "I don't want to lose you, but I would rather let you go than watch you die."

The slowly growing smile on her face confused him. "Why are you smiling?"

Tears filled her eyes as her smile widened with a soft laugh. "Because I can feel her."

His mouth dropped open, his breath frozen within his lungs at her words. "You- We did it?" Kahlan nodded slowly, trying to get herself to believe the miracle that existed inside of her.

With a cry of joy, he pulled her against him and crashed their lips together. Leaning back, she released his face and laid her hands on her stomach.

"I never thought I would ever feel this."

"What?"

"A child," she said softly, avoiding his gaze.

"What does it feel like?"

She grinned, shaking her head as she closed her eyes. "I'm not sure that I can explain."

"You can try," he whispered. His heart was pounding rapidly; he couldn't imagine the way it felt to have a child growing within. This was another experience that they couldn't completely share.

Meeting his eyes, she brought his hands to her stomach. She knew they wouldn't be able to feel the child, but it was the only way she could think of to help explain. "I can feel her magic, building with mine. It's different, though. If I can feel her magic while wearing the Rada'Han... She's powerful, Richard." Her hands were shaking over his as she spoke, the excitement and fear filling her with each word. "We're going to have a child."

"What does this mean for us?"

"I will not keep her from you, Richard."

"That's not what I meant."

Frowning, she nodded. "I know, but that is all I know to say."

"I love you, Kahlan."

She swallowed and blinked back a brand-new set of tears, bringing her hands to his face. "I love you too."

He kissed her slowly, taking his time to savor the moment. "Then nothing else matters."

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Mother Confessor, but I've come to free you."

Kahlan turned around to the young man who opened the barred door. Crawling out of Richard's arms, she stood up with a smile, giving a small bow of her head. "Thank you." Turning back to the Seeker, she extended her arm to help him up. "We need to find Zedd."

"I'm sorry, but Miss. Robin asked that I arrange a few guards to escort you to your room."

Looking back to the man, she nodded. "Of course."

******

The guards surrounded her throughout the entire trip, making sure Richard could not get close to her. Robin must have told them what could happen and they make sure that it didn't. The Rada'Han was still around her neck and he suddenly hated her being defenseless. The world moved in slow motion around him, giving him time to soak it all in and see things he would normally miss. His mind stopped for an instant as Robin came into view with a large, armored man. She whispered as she moved in closer to him, handing the man something wrapped in a dark cloth. Her smile made Richard cringe.

Cara was turning the corner and making her way toward him with an annoyed expression that he had come to enjoy. Two of the guards around Kahlan eased their pace, nearly causing him to walk into them. Their sideways glances brought the Seeker to a halt, his eyes retracing what he had just seen. Locking eyes with Cara, he saw that she too, knew what was going to happen. The two men before him turned suddenly and drew their swords, he was ready. Retrieving a small blade from the belt of the smaller one on his right, he slammed his shoulder into the other to buy him a moment to attack the first.

Through the men's blood, he watched as Cara pushed her agiels into the other men as Kahlan was grabbed from behind by the largest man of them all. He gave no sign of weakness and he held her back firmly against his chest. It seemed impossible for her to escape. This was the man who was to kill her. This was done by Robin.

Throwing her head back, Kahlan slammed it against his face, experiencing a great deal of pain for something that caused no damage to the other. Her legs kicked out, trying to help her turn in his arms so that she could free her own. He crushed her body tighter with each attempt. A large set of guards raced down the hall toward the small battle, confused as to what was happening until the wicked woman raised her voice.

"These two have betrayed us all, their lives for ours!"

The men gave no hesitation once the words hit their ears. From their view, it could have appeared possible. Abandoning the small blade, he took a sword from the ground and tightened his hand on the hilt, missing the fiery ring of fury that would have erupted from his own. The men were well trained, proving their worthiness in protecting the ruler of their people. Richard found himself well matched with more than a few of them. He looked over to her constantly to sure she was still alive.

She still battled strongly against the man, making it impossible for him to take her down the hallway as he had wanted. Growing tired of the struggle, the man wrapped his large hand around her neck and pulled her from him, squeezing tightly to keep her from breathing. She was slammed against the wall, her head banging loudly against the stone as a smile came to his face.

"With you gone, we all will be free."

The man's voice surprised her as her body went limp instantly. Moving her away from the wall, the man looked over his shoulder to the others, Robin, who nodded quickly before moving into the darkness. Bringing his eyes to hers, he grinned and she knew it was over. Stepping back, he inched a few inches to his left and threw her forward. He pushed until he could no longer. The sound shook the walls, bringing them all to a stop as they looked down the hallway. Richard felt his heart pounding, heard it racing in his ears as he rushed past them all.

The next few moments were a blur of blood and rage. He didn't know how he managed to do it, but the head of the man was torn from his shoulders. Instantly dropping his weapon, Richard hurried to her, gasping for air between cries for help. No matter how loud he screamed, he couldn't hear it over the sound of her fading breaths.

The Mother Confessor was held against the wall by three thick, round and metal posts. Her body jerked as she spit out blood, her eyes heavy and unable to remain open for very long. The first post went through just below her left shoulder. The position of the second post made him want to vomit. The post was in the center of her, just above the stomach. If she or their child survived, it would be a miracle.

The last post was slightly larger than the others. It pierced through the top of her left leg. Her once white dress was now stained with her blood, growing redder with each passing moment. Grabbing her head, Richard tried to gain her attention, begging her to stay with him.

"Someone find Zedd!" No one moved. "You have to find him now!" Tears were leaking down his cheeks as he pushed his fingers gently into her hair and kissed her face. "You need to stay with me, Kahlan. I need you- I need both of you."

Cara moved quickly, killing the last five guards that surrounded them. They were now alone. With a quick glance to her friends, she hurried down the hall to the kitchen, the place she knew the wizard would be.

******

When she returned with the older man, Richard was past frantic as he urged Kahlan to keep her eyes open. "Just look at me," he told her tenderly, wiping the blood from the side of her mouth. She was lying on the ground now, staining the floor beneath her, red. He had ripped his own clothing to make the best patches he could, trying to stop her bleeding. "You're going to be all right. I promise."

Without words, Zedd pushed his grandson out of the way and began accessing the Mother Confessor's wounds. She wouldn't let go of her lover's hand, the small comfort it brought her made her feel stronger. Richard kept his face next to hers, sharing her short, ragged breaths. Her sudden cry of pain brought all their eyes to her face as she let her anguish go.

"We need to remove the Rada'Han," Zedd said quietly, reaching to the metal. "She needs to set her magic free, it will help her."

"I don't have the key," Richard whispered, trying to keep his voice calm. "I don't think they will just give it to us."

"We don't have to ask," Cara chimed in. From the tone of her voice, they knew what she meant.

As she left them, Richard found himself wishing that she caused as much pain as possible. Bringing his eyes back to Kahlan's he cupped her cheeks. "Please stay with me, both of you."

The wizard froze, "She's with child?" With a nod from his grandson, he pulled his hands away from the Confessor's stomach, abandoning the healing. "My magic could harm the child. Richard, are you sure she carries a child?"

"Yes."

"When we remove the Rada'Han, you must make sure she remains awake. The strength of the magic will be stronger now and it will be difficult, but we may be able to heal her."

"I don't understand. Zedd, you just said that your magic could harm our child and of we don't even know if she has the Rahl magic. She could bleed to death while we try to find out!"

"You are a Rahl. The magic may have transferred to the child. If so, we can use it. Help me move her; I'll try to stop the bleeding."

Nodding, he looked down to Kahlan. "Hold onto me."

Turning her gently, Richard held her hands to his leg, giving her the small comfort she needed to get through it. Her hold tightened on him for only a brief moment before it relaxed completely. His heart stopped when her hands fell from him.


	7. Chapter 7

Three days passed and Kahlan remain unconscious, lying undisturbed in her bed under the protection of the Seeker and his rage. He had left her for a single hour, leaving under the protection of his friend Cara as he went in search of the woman who had caused it all. He killed her instantly and with no hesitation. He felt strongly that it was the only justice for what she had done. The woman he loved may never wake up and if she died, so did his unborn child and his love for life.

Holding her hand, he stared at her face, waiting in desperation for the moment she opened her eyes and he saw the blue of her eyes again. "I know you can hear me, you always can. Kahlan, please wake up. I need you to hear your voice again." He gave a quick smile. "I need you to look at me like you did before, smiling as you felt our child within you."

"How is she?" Zedd asked as he pushed through the door. The palace had become theirs after Robin's death. The High Council denying all knowledge of what happened and allowing them to remain.

"She hasn't awoken yet."

"It's still early. She lost a lot of blood, the fact that she lives is proof of her strength. She will awake in time."

"What of our child? She cannot survive like this."

The wizard smiled warmly and sat down beside his grandson. "Confessor's are stronger than you realize, even the unborn. She will survive off of her mother's strength."

"I can't lose them, Zedd. They're my family."

"I know." Laying his thin hand on the Seeker's shoulder, he gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Give them time." Straightening his back, he sighed. "When was the last time you ate or slept?"

Shaking his head, he looked at the other man. "I'm not hungry and every time I close my eyes I see her bleeding against the wall."

"She's not against the wall anymore, Richard. You saved her."

"I should have protected her, Zedd. I knew something was wrong and I- I allowed this to happen to them."

"If it hadn't been for you, she would be dead. I do not believe that she would disagree. She knows you did everything you could."

Returning his eyes to her face, he tightened his hold on her hand. "When you wake up, I'll be right here."

Zedd sat with him for an hour in silence, watching as Richard brushed his fingers through her hair. The wizard wished he could be of some help, but nothing would make this any easier, especially when they didn't know if they child still lived. He remembered walking by and seeing his grandson with his head pressed against her stomach, desperately trying to hear or feel their child. Sometimes just the slow rise and fall of her chest seemed to make him hopeful. The Seeker would have found hope in anything.

With a soft sigh, the older man stood and stretched his back. "I'll arrange to have someone send you some food."

"Jasmine tea," Richard suggested. "It's her favorite." He had been dripping a small amount of liquid into her mouth every half hour in an attempt to keep her more comfortable, but in truth, it was more of a comfort to him.

******

He waited for the tea to cool; making sure it was the perfect temperature for her before slowly easing a sip into her mouth. The room grew darker by the minute, bringing him to rise and light the candles he had surrounding them. The smell made him remembered a story she had once told him about when she was a girl and would sleep in her mother's room. It was almost exactly as she described it and he, too, found it comforting. Resting his forehead on her arm, he closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, letting the smell take over him.

Her arm twitched and he lifted his head, staring down at her as he tightened his hold on her hand. "Kahlan?" Her jaw tightened as a look of pain covered her face. "You're all right, just try to breathe..." With a gasp, her back lifted from the bed as she tried to get air. Taking her face in his hands, he eased her back down to the bed and quickly began caressing her cheeks with his thumbs. "You're all right, Kahlan."

She focused on his eyes, taking her cue from him and breathing when he did. Her eyes were dark, her magic floating on the surface as she struggled to regain it. From the strength of it, she knew it had been some time since she had control. Bringing her hand up slowly, she rested it against his right bicep as the need to touch him overwhelmed her. Her heart ceased pounding at once, their contact calming her.

"I was so afraid I had lost you."

"Me too," she replied barely audible.

Richard smiled, laying his forehead against hers for a moment. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."

"Robin?"

He moved back, sitting himself on the side of her bed. "She's dead." Looking back to her, he sighed. "She tried to kill you; I couldn't let her get away with that." Lifting her head, she tried to sit up, but was stopped instantly by his arms and a surprising amount of pain. "We haven't been able to heal all of your wounds. Zedd was afraid that magic would harm our child." Tears suddenly filled her eyes as she reach to her stomach. "What is it?"

Her hands were lying over her stomach, holding the blanket tightly as her tears multiplied. "I- Our child... I can't feel her, Richard."

Feeling sick, he licked his lips and tried to keep calm. "You've only just awoken. Maybe you just need a few moments."

Nodding, she closed her eyes and tightened her hold on the blanket above her, trying desperately to feel the child within. "Spirits, please..."

Grabbing her hands, he held them tightly to comfort not only her, but himself as well. "I-" He wanted to tell her that he was sorry; that it had all been because of him, but he knew it wouldn't make either of them feel better. Crawling over her carefully, he laid his head on her shoulder, keeping his right hand over both of hers. He was prepared to comfort her at any moment, though the thought tore him apart.

She whispered for a few moments, a quiet prayer to the spirits to keep her sane. Opening her eyes, she sighed. "How did you heal me?"

Her question confused him, but he answered anyway. "Zedd was able to use some of her magic. Why?"

"Because I can't feel any magic, maybe she hasn't had time to... Maybe she's still here." She was grasping at thin air, trying to hold onto anything that could keep their child alive for a while longer. "Maybe she's-"

"Maybe," he repeated softly, knowing that the world around her had yet to settle in her mind. She was far from healed, the blood stains on the sheets beneath her were a constant reminder to him, though seeing her without full knowledge to the extent, almost made him feel better. "She's strong, Kahlan." Turning her head, she shifted her body and tried ignored the pain that shot through her. She needed to hold him; for him to hold her. "Easy, don't move."

"I have to," she told him, trying to fight the tears as she struggled against his firm hold. "I can't lie like this, not right now." She was pushing her voice out, having to nearly scream to get the words to sound as loud as the whisper that they were.

Wrapping his arms around her, he carefully helped her roll onto her side and pulled her close. "It's all right..."

"If I..." her words trailed off into silence as she thought. She couldn't ask him what he would do if she lost their child, she couldn't bear to hear the answer. Instead, she settled for a simple phrase that would cover it all. "I'm afraid."

"Me too, but this doesn't change anything."

"It changes everything."

"Kahlan, Robin is dead; we can have so many children."

Shaking her head, she pulled back and looked at him confused and teary eyed. "If I lost our child, how could you-"

"You didn't lose her, Kahlan. She may still be with you, growing stronger with every breath."

"And if she's not?"

"You didn't lose her, Kahlan. If she's gone, it's because she was taken from us. You are not to blame; I will not ever allow you to blame yourself for this. It's not your fault."

"I didn't see it coming, Richard. I- I should have known better."

He gave her a smile and inched closer. "You didn't see it coming because you believed she would keep to her word. Kahlan if you knew that she would come after you, you never would have agreed to her terms and you would have known it all. You would have known the instant you declined her offers. I think that it is part of the reason you agreed. You saw ahead of us all."

"No," she whispered once he finished. "I agreed because every time I thought about saying no, I would close my eyes and I could see- I couldn't let them kill you." Her eyes closed in pain for a moment, trying to make it appear that she was only tired. "I'm fine," she lied and Richard moved her gently onto her back and pushed back her thin gown to look at her shoulder wound. It was the first time she realized what she was wearing, it made her smile. "Where did you find this?"

Sitting up, he moved the blankets back over her, trying to make sure she remained warm. "It was on the floor beside the bed. I thought it was appropriate, since you didn't get to wear it for very long." Grinning, he pulled his hands away from her to avoid the temptation between them and reached for the large cup he had previously abandoned on the bed table. "Are you thirsty? We have some tea left; it's still warm."

"I'm fine," she responded through a quiet whisper. "I-" She stopped herself, seeming to be rethinking her words as she brought her eyes to his. "What if she's still here?"

"What do you mean?"

Licking her lips, she began to play with the blanket, distracting herself from what she was trying to ask. "If I am still carrying your child, what happens to us?"

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "You know what I want for us. There is no one standing in our way anymore. This is your decision. But whatever you do decide... Kahlan, I want you to mean it. I've made my decision; I want you, no matter what the risk. I want you to choose me, to take me and make me yours. I don't want you to send me away because you fear for my safety or you're afraid that my feelings may change. I want you to, for once, think of yourself. What am I to you? I will give you all the time you need to make you're-"

"I don't need time, Richard," she said quickly, surprising them both. "A selfish response never needs time, but they're rarely the right ones. What one wants isn't always what's right."

"We are right. Kahlan, us."

"How can it be right to want to hurt you?"

He had his answer, the one he had hoped to hear and it made him smile. "It's not wrong. Kahlan you could never hurt me."

Pushing back her pain, she sat forward and brought her right hand to his throat, their eyes locked. He gave no glimmer of fear as she moved closer. "Your life could end in this moment. Because I have feelings for you, you could be lost forever."

"I wouldn't be lost, Kahlan. I would be right here, with you."


	8. Chapter 8

His hands had come to her hips as she moved, helping her remain steady. She was so close to him that he could barely focus on her, her warm breath against his skin making it impossible to form thoughts. Her right hand remained against his throat, while her other moved over his chest and pulled him closer. She was lost in his eyes, the passion within them calling out to her. Closing the distance between them, she answered his call with a heated kiss.

Most of her strength had faded from sitting up, but she refused to let him go. He held her gently, knowing that her pain was growing by the second. Breaking their kiss, she grabbed his shoulders to keep from falling over, her body suddenly feeling the wounds as though they had just arrived. Lowering her back to the bed, Richard pulled her shaking hands from his shirt pulled the blankets back over her. Bringing his concerned eyes back to her face, he was shocked to see her smiling.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she widened her smile and grabbed his hands, holding them to her stomach. "I can feel her," she said as tears began to fall down her cheeks. "She's still here." He couldn't move, the joy freezing his body until she opened her eyes and met his. Her eyes were filled with mix emotions, but the happiness overshadowed her pain. "You were right. She just needed some more time."

Grabbing he face, he pulled her to him and kissed her quickly. "We're going to have a daughter!" Grinning widely, the Seeker nearly leapt from the bed, the sudden need to run down the hallways of the palace and tell everyone that they were expecting a child was almost overwhelming. "We have our family." Her eyes were closed and her lips parted as she took in deep breaths. "What's wrong?"

Shaking her head, she gave a quick smile before returning her focus to her breathing. "Our magic... It's growing... Quickly."

"Let it go," he said instantly, remembering something his grandfather had said. "You shouldn't hold it in, Kahlan." Richard moved off of the bed as she shook her head. He knew why she refused. If there was a chance she could confess him, she would never loosen her hold on it. "Let it go, Kahlan."

For the umpteenth time she released her magic, her body slightly rising from the bed as it took its toll on her. It wasn't unlike all of the other times. The power, strength and beauty were mesmerizing and nothing could ever compare. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. Blood began to drip from her nose as she dropped back onto the bed with a gasp for air, bringing him rushing to her side.

Wiping the blood from her face, she let out what sounded to be a laugh as Richard hurried to tend to her. "I've never felt anything like that before."

"What did it feel like?"

Meeting his eyes, she shook her head. She felt relaxed and whole, she didn't think it was possible to explain. "I- I'm not sure there are enough words."

Disappointment flooded him for a moment as he wiped the last of the blood from her face, the thumb on his right hand stained red. "Are you all right?"

Nodding, Kahlan took his hand in hers and smiled, forgetting everything else except for their own existence. "I'm fine. It felt like- Do you remember that night?" He nodded; slightly confused as to how she could think he would be able to forget. "It was everything I had felt that night in a single moment." His face grew more confused and her smile widened. "I was free."

"You didn't release your magic that night, Kahlan."

"I know," she whispered. "But that doesn't mean that I wasn't free." Moving carefully, he laid down beside her, his head laying on her shoulder as he wrapped his right arm around her, his hand slowly moving from her side to her stomach again and again. "I love you, Richard."

Closing his eyes, he grinned widely and relaxed against her. "I love you too."

Shifting beneath him, she moved him off of her and switched their positions, laying her head on his chest as she snuggled closer. If she was feeling any pain, she didn't show any sign of it. He wanted to say something, but the only thing he could think of to say was the unthinkable, at least in her mind and he didn't want to ruin this peaceful moment. With one arm around her back, he moved the other to her head, brushing his fingers through her hair before settling at rest beside her ear. This was the way he wanted to end every day for the rest of his life and with her carrying his child, it all seemed possible.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he replied slowly.

A quick smile came to her lips as she nodded. "Your heart's racing."

"If I asked you to confess me, you would dismiss the idea at once, wouldn't you?"

"Yes," she replied simply as she lifted her head and looked down at him. "I can't do that to you."

"Even if I told you that it would be all right?"

Shaking her head for a moment, she tilted her head in curiosity. "What?"

"You wouldn't change your mind, would you?"

He knew her better than anyone and she didn't know if she liked that at the moment. "Probably not, but I would listen to what you had to say."

"And if I didn't explain?"

"What do you mean?"

"What if I asked you to trust me? Kahlan, I know you trust me and I know that you don't want to hurt me, but I- I'm asking you to trust me in this. You won't hurt me, just right now, let go."

Their eyes remained locked as Kahlan tried to find a glimmer of fear and distress. There was none. She could feel him calling her magic forth and begging it to enter him. Whatever he knew, he believed completely that there was no danger. He was so sure that she wasn't a threat.

She always knew the danger she posed to him, but he never saw her that way. He never, for a minute, saw the monster she felt she was, even after seeing her in the Con Dar. He was always there, by her side, loving her as though she was normal. He would never ask her to do this lightly; he knew how she would feel about it. She trusted him more than she had ever trusted anyone and in any moment, his word was all she needed.

"You're sure?" He smiled, nodding his head quickly in the hopes she would give in. "And you would risk yourself for this?"

"I would give everything."

Moving off of him, she fell back onto the bed at his side and covered her face with her hands, now feeling all of the pain within her body as well as more. "I nearly destroyed you."

"Kahlan-"

"Please don't ask me to do that again."

He didn't have to see her face to know she was crying, her voice was filled with anguish. Turning into his side, he waited for her to lower hands, but she didn't. She didn't want to look at him; those big, brown eyes would have her withering into dust with one look.

"I can't promise you that."

Dropping her hands, she turned her head away from him and took in a deep breath. Rolling her right shoulder, she soaked in the pain, finding it easier to handle. "I can't confess you, Richard."

"You almost let go, Kahlan. For a moment, you trusted me-"

Turning toward him, she met his sad eyes with her own. "I'll always trust you," she whispered instantly.

"Then why didn't you do it?"

Her eyes were filled with tears, but she could no longer tell if it was from the pain of her wounds. "I can't lose you. I can't- If I confessed you, I would die to set you free." He knew the truth of her words; they were one of the only three things he was sure of. "You may be willing to fight the risk, but I'm not. I don't want our daughter to grow up with a father who-"

"Who's like your father."

"Yes," she told him instantly, closing her eyes to block out the pained look on his face. "But not for the reason you believe." Kahlan paused, taking in a deep breath to gather her strength and push down another wave of pain. "I remember the man my father was when he was confessed. He spent time with us because my mother commanded it. He wasn't a father Richard; he was a man who- I don't want our daughter to know you that way."

He didn't quite understand her reasoning, but then he realized there was no way he could. He did not grow up with Confessors; he did not know most things about them. How could he try to make a decision this big for her? This was something she grew up with, that she thought about every day. This was her life, not his and he did not have the right to ask her to confess him. He had become so desperate to prove his love for her; he was willing to hurt her in the worst possible way. The knowledge shamed him.

"I'm sorry, Kahlan."

The gentleness of her eyes warmed him. "Don't be. I know why you asked and I- A part of me is glad that you did."

"I never should have-"

"It's all right, Richard."

Shaking his head, he rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. "No, it's not. I tried to use your trust in me against you."

"Is it trust if it's not being tested?" she asked trying to lighten the air around them.

Turning his head, he frowned. "I never have to test you, Kahlan."

"Yes you do," she whispered as she attempted to roll onto her side to face him, failing as the pain overtook her. He helped her gently, making it easier for her to move as she needed. "You were testing me when you asked me to marry you and then again when you returned and heard the last of our conversation. You should test me; I'm the one who has everything to prove."

Pushing her back, he leaned over her; pushing his forehead against hers to remove all distance between them. "You have nothing to prove, Kahlan. You've proven more to me then I ever could to you."

Kissing him, she pulled him down onto her and ignored every ounce of pain that shot through her entire body. He wasn't kidding before when he said that her wounds weren't entirely healed and now as she pulled him against her, it was painfully obvious. With a low moan, she tried to shift them and take some of the pressure off of her, but her attempt to keep her pain from him failed completely. Breaking their heated kiss, Richard pulled his body back just enough to relieve his weight from her.

"I should get Zedd, he may be able to heal you now."

"I'm fine," she lied instantly, grabbing his arms to keep him close to her.

With a quick smile, he shook his head. "You're not fine, Kahlan. I can see it in your eyes. Maybe he can help you."

"He can't help me. We both know that."

"How strong is it?"

Closing her eyes she swallowed, needing another moment to form words. She wanted him to believe what she said. "It's nothing I can't manage."

"You can release it again." He gave a playful grin. "Don't worry, I won't touch you." Her laugh came through a cough, making her body tense and causes another round of pain. "I promise," he added after a short second.

Nodding her head, she looked away, not wanting him to have full witness to the wild side of their magic combined. Again, her body lifted from the bed with the strength of its release. A cry of relief left her lips as she returned to the comfort and safety of the bed with Richard awaiting the instant he could touch her. The instant she gasped for air, the bedroom door flew open and Cara and Zedd hurried inside. Her magic was felt throughout the city.

Coming to the side of the bed, the wizard stared at his grandson until he was sure he hadn't been changed by the magic. Taking the Confessor's arm, he closed his eyes to get a better understanding of what was happening to her. She appeared to be fine now, but the bulk of their magic had just been released and it changed it all.

"I'm all right Zedd," Kahlan told him as he met her eyes. "In a few days, my body won't be able to feel a difference in magic."

"There is no guarantee, dear one."

Nodding, she sighed. "I know, but I can feel it. I'll be fine, Zedd."

"Can you travel?" Cara asked abruptly, bringing all eyes to her. "The Stone of Tears isn't going to find itself and Richard won't leave you here."

"I'll manage," she replied softly. She could see the concern in the Mord'Sith's eyes, even though she tried to hide it.

"I can't let anything happen to you, Kahlan." Richard's voice pulled her from her thoughts, instantly bringing her eyes to his. "You're safe here."

Shaking her head, she sat up, ignoring her pain. "You need your Confessor-"

"I need you alive," he interrupted with a small smile. "You're carrying our child. We can't risk both of your lives."

"I'm not helpless."

"No you're not, but-" he sighed. "There's no point in arguing with you, is there?"

"No."


	9. Chapter 9

Once they found the Stone, it was impossible to keep her pregnancy a secret, though the sight of her continued to drive the Seeker wild. Her body had somehow grown accustomed to the rise of power within her, making her much stronger with every day. She no longer needed contact with the enemy to confess the, worrying the wizard when his grandson would sleep at her side. Richard only grew more interested by the minute, thrilled to see what the combination of their magic was like. He felt closer to her, even though he didn't get to experience any of it. Soon, she would give birth and he couldn't wait.

After the others would fall asleep and he completed his walk of the camp, he would sit beside her and talk until she fell asleep. Most nights, he found it impossible to take his hands off of her belly, the movement of their child being one of the things he loved most. He finally had everything he had ever dreamed of and he couldn't imagine being happier.

"Are you all right?" she whispered, not wanting to disturb the others.

Bringing his eyes from her stomach to hers, he smiled. "Did I wake you?"

Shaking her head, she rubbed her hands over her belly and grinned widely. "She's active tonight."

Shifting his position, he moved to lie down and make it easier for her to see him. "I think she knows how close we are to sealing the rifts." Moving his right hand up her stomach, he ran his fingers between her breasts, his desire for her growing rapidly. "Soon we'll be home and she'll be born..."

A soft moan left her lips as his hand continued its journey over her chest. If he continued, she wouldn't be able to hold back. Grabbing his hand, she held it still and opened her eyes, breathing deeply to keep from giving into her own passion. Every few nights, they found themselves clutching each other closer as their lips collided in hot desire. For a short while, they allowed themselves the simple joys and pleasure of their lovers kiss and embrace. It took all of their strength to keep from going too far and this night, Kahlan felt herself weakened.

"If you keep doing that, we're going to wake them up."

He pulled back his hand, but remained close, his eyes closed as he soaked in the feel of her breath against his face. "I forgot."

"I'm sorry," she whispered as he opened his eyes. She could see the hunger within them, the passionate desire that darkened his eyes.

Turning slightly, she cupped his cheek in her left hand and kissed him. After a moment, she moved her hand to his chest, slowly messaging as she moved lower. He pushed into her, deepening their kiss to hold back a moan. She knew exactly what to give him. It wasn't the first time they had done this, but each time, they got lost within the moments.

She grew braver each time, going further than before and never looking back. They were in the open and could be caught at any moment, but it never stopped her. Pulling at the laces of his pants, she pushed her tongue past his lips and took him in her hand. He moaned into their kiss, his hands now moving over her frantically to give her a small hint of the pleasure she was giving him. He wanted to give her everything.

His head pushed back into the grass, his eyes squeezed shut as she brought him to his peak and he let go. Her name left his lips in a whisper as he held her against him. He wished that she had been able to have her own release and share this moment with him, making him realize what would make him happier.

"Marry me," he said breathlessly, his eyes coming to focus on hers.

Pulling her hand away from him, she shook her head. "Richard, I-"

"Marry me," he repeated more soundly. "Every reason you had to say no before, they no longer apply."

"One does."

"It's not a reason, Kahlan."

"It's a disaster."

Turning onto his side, he pulled her against him and hugged her tightly. "We're meant to be together. We can be married without you confessing me."

Pushing her head beneath his chin, she closed her eyes and allowed herself a brief moment of comfort before she spoke. "You should be able to make love to your wife. She should give you children, a son-"

"A life; a daughter with you Kahlan, is all I want. We don't need to make love to know how we feel about each other."

"No," she agreed quietly. "But we still want to."

"A husband and wife always desire each other."

"And if I'm not your wife."

"I'll still desire you, Kahlan. Always." He pulled back and met her eyes with a smile. "Marry me."

"We can never be together."

"We are now," he countered gently. "There is nothing more we need."

Rolling onto her back, she looked up between the branches and leaves of the surrounding trees. "Yet there is so much we want."

Laying his hand on her stomach, he smiled widely and inched a bit closer. "Sometimes what we want isn't what we need. I need to be with you, I don't care about anything else."

Turning her head, she frowned. "I do, as will you one day. I think about what it was like, being with you. Sometimes I almost- Richard this shouldn't be so hard."

"Maybe not, but I would rather have this with you, than something easy with any other. Marry me and we can figure out the rest some other time."

"Richard, I-"

"I'm not going to stop asking, ever. One day, we will be married."

She gave him a side smile. "How can you be so sure?"

"We will never love anyone else. We'll be married and for the rest of our lives, we will be happy."

She could hear the certainty in his voice, see it in his eyes as he spoke; it comforted her. "All right," she whispered after a moment. "I will marry you."

He lay frozen for a moment, unsure if he had heard her correctly. "Yes?" She nodded slowly, her smile growing to match his with joy. "Yes!" He shouted loudly as he sat up, pulling her into his arms happily. Giving her a quick kiss, he turned to the others and started to wake them. He wanted them to know their wonderful news.

"No," Kahlan whispered, turning him back toward her. "They can wait."

******

They were waiting for them, nine or ten Sister's of the Dark working with a large group of banelings. They were surrounded and the battle to get through them all would be fierce. The Sisters of the Dark focused on the Mother Confessor, their eyes focused on her belly as they grinned wickedly. With a step forward, Richard moved in front of her, doing his best to block her from their view. He was going to be sure she was protected.

Cara was standing on their left, agiels already gripped tightly in her hand with a pleasing smile upon her face. This had been what she was waiting for. Zedd stood behind them, ready to fight at once.

The ring of steel engulfed the battle cries of the enemy, marking the start of their small war. Within moments, they were being separated, the desire of having the Confessor alone made completely obvious. She somehow managed to remain at his side, working twice as hard to stay within his sight as she fought a group of banelings. Richard kept Sisters of the Dark from her, taking them down easier than expected. His sword slid through them without hesitation, ending their lives as quickly as they came toward him.

Kahlan was bleeding, but he couldn't focus on her long enough to see where it came from. Each moment he brought his eyes to her, another set of their enemy approached him. When she was taken to the ground by three banelings, it was too much for him. His rage took over, making him faster and more accurate with each swing of his sword. Nothing would keep him from getting to her.

As he reached her side, she shoved the newly dead bodies from her and jumped to her feet, her pale dress now covered in blood. Running his eyes over her, he searched for the source of the wound she had received earlier, finding a long gash in her left side. She lifted her hand to stop him from rushing closer to take care of her, the war around them continuing. Giving him a quick nod, she pushed him back a few steps, perfectly avoiding the arrow that flew between them. In the brief moment he kept her eyes, he was sure she was enjoying the battle.

The moment he turned around, she was taken from him.

"Give us the stone and we'll give her back to you."

He reached for the stone instantly, locking eyes on his lover. "Don't do it, Richard!" Kahlan shouted as they pulled her backward by the hair. He froze at her words, watching as she shook her head. She was willing to die for them, but it wasn't only her life anymore.

"We're waiting Seeker!"

"I won't let them kill you, Kahlan."

She tried to get back to him, screaming for him to listen to her. "Richard, please... Trust me." He stopped his movements, his hand half way into the inside pocket of his vest, the stone touching the tips of his fingertips.

"All right, Kahlan."

Nodding her head slowly, she waited as the sisters moved closer to her. Taking a single step forward, she waited until each of their hands were upon her to keep her from getting away. The release of her magic tore them from her body, lifting her friends off of the ground as well, making all of their worlds go dark.

******

"Richard?" He awoke with a jolt, instantly bringing his eyes to her face to be sure she was fine. "Richard?" she said once again, searching his eyes. "Are you all right?"

"Fine," he answered quickly, giving the area around them a look. "Are the others-"

A wave of pain shot through her as she shook her head. "I don't know, I haven't had a chance to get to them yet."

"I'll go to them, you wait here. Zedd will be able to heal you."

"I'm all right for now, I can go with you."

"Kahlan," he stared quietly, "I- tell me if it becomes too much."

"I will," she whispered with a small smile to comfort him.

Cara was already beginning to awake, when they reached her, a look of annoyance set on her beautiful features. Waving them away from her, she staggered to her feet and looked around. Their enemy was lying in the grass and from the look of it, they killed each other. Kahlan must have given the order while she rushed to Richard. Slowly she made her way to the others, just as the wizard opened his eyes.

Zedd was the only one who had been injured, but smiled anyway, pleased to be alive. "You've grown stronger," he said trying to ease the solemn look on her face.

As he desired, she smiled. "It's not me."

Grinning himself, the older man took notice to his grandson, who continued to motion to the cut on Kahlan's side. "Come here, I'll take care of that." He paused as she moved closer, noticing the return of her frown. "What is it dear one?"

"De vita et crescit in monstrum," she said absently.

"Kahlan-"

"They repeated it, each of them as they pulled me away." She met his eyes and shook her head. "She's not a monster."

"What are you talking about?" Richard asked as she looked to him.

"The sisters, they said-"

"That our child's a monster?"

She studied his face, seeing the words she felt within herself. "She's not a monster, Richard. She's-"

"A miracle," he said, bringing his eyes to her belly for a moment. "How's the side?"

Turning her head, she realized that her wound no longer brought any pain. "Better."

He connected their lips in relief; at last taking a moment to celebrate what he feared had been lost. Pulling back, he grinned and pushed his fingers through her hair to keep the contact between them.

"We should get moving, it's nearly time."


	10. Chapter 10

They stood on the edge of the cliff, watching as the rifts below were sealed shut and ended the Keeper's terror. Her hands rested on her stomach, just above his as he held her against him. His breath warmed her cheek, his head leaning against hers as he closed his eyes against the view. It was the first time since she had agreed to marry him that they were alone and he didn't want to waste it looking at something else. He could practically see the smile on her lips as their child moved within her, he couldn't stop his own as it pulled strongly at his lips.

"We should move somewhere warmer."

"They're not closed yet," she replied with a soft laugh.

"They'll close without us."

Turning her head, she grinned. "What did you have in mind?"

"We could lay by the fire."

Her forehead wrinkled in confusion. "With Cara and Zedd?"

Wrapping his left arm around her waist, he lead her away from the edge of the cliff. "We can make our own."

"I need to speak with Zedd, first."

"Are you all right?"

"Fine, I just- I'm worried about her." The concern of his face made her smile in an attempt to ease his mind. "She's moving around a lot and it's becoming harder to hold back the magic. I just want to make sure she's all right." Her words didn't comfort him at all. Instead, he hurried their pace down the light path, searching the area around them for his grandfather. She stopped suddenly and closed her eyes, sucking in a deep breath as she grabbed his arm. Giving him a quick smile, she swallowed the pain. "I know what's wrong now. She's coming."

Shaking his head, he moved before her and took hold of her hands. "No, Kahlan, you're not- No, it's too soon."

Nodding her head, she took a step forward, trying to get him to move backward toward their camp. "I don't think she knows that."

She was stronger than any woman he had ever seen. Walking back to camp, she only paused once, taking a moment to catch her breath before hurrying onward. The wizard knew instantly what was happening, the panicked look on his grandson's face instantly capturing his attention. Jumping to his feet, Zedd hurried over to them and helped ease her to the ground, ignoring the Mord'Sith's comment about how nice of the baby to wait until they were alone to decide to be born.

"How long has the pain been present?"

Avoiding the look on her fiancé's face, Kahlan sighed. "A few hours, but it only now started to feel this way. Zedd, I'm not sure I can hold it back much longer."

"Then don't," the Seeker offered at once, knowing that the release of the magic would ease her burden if only for a few moments. "Let it go and we'll- We'll find a way to help you until she's born."

Her darkened eyes met his, finding a piece of joy that melted her instantly into his suggestion. "I don't know how strong it will be."

The men stood quickly and moved back until she stopped staring at them intently. She wanted them as far away as possible, but knew that Richard wouldn't take his eyes off of her. Blood began to drip slowly from her nose, providing proof of the pressure within her. Her hands darted to the ground as the magic was released, her fingers digging into the ground the best they could to keep her from rising up as she had so many times before. Nothing could have prepared any of them for how the magic left her body.

The others watched, memorized as the air around them seemed to pull toward her, extinguishing the fire before blowing through her hair as she cried out in relief. A soft glow surrounded her form, suddenly drawing the Seeker forward, calling to him in an unspoken whisper. Before they could stop him, he was nearly at her side, ready to answer and give himself to her. When his knees hit the ground, she turned her head toward him, locking eyes as she looked down.

"Beautiful," he said breathlessly as he reached for her.

Taking her face in his hands, he pulled her closer, cursing all space that had ever come between them. They shared their breaths, their bodies lifting together as the wind continued to push by them. There had never been such a union of magic before and to bear witness to it was even more extraordinary. For a brief moment, almost unseen by the others, the soft glow surrounded him and grew brighter before fading completely. Their bodies were lowered to the ground, slowly and carefully, keeping them pressed together until they were safely onto the ground.

It was the second time a Confessor's magic had torn through him, but this was unlike the other. What had been cold and terrifying before was now warm and welcoming, though he could feel her fear throughout it all. In those short moments, they had shared something he had always wanted, something that neither could have from any other. He had never been so close to someone before. His jubilance flooded through her, erasing all of her fears and doubts; her mind only on what they could be.

Gasping for air, her hands grabbed her stomach in pain, bringing the Wizard and Mord'Sith to them at once. Zedd gave no sign of concern for his grandson as he lifted the bottom of the Mother Confessor's dress. Cara, on the other hand, was filled with it. Kneeling down at his side, she forced his head to turn and face her, the need to protect him always burning through her veins. The magic had gone through him, had claimed in every way, but no one else seemed to care.

"I'm not confessed," he said calmly, knowing and understanding what his friend was trying to do. Bringing his eyes back to Kahlan, he grinned. "She's coming."

"Neria," she responded out of breath, a smile matching his coming to her face. They hadn't spoken of it before, both finding it difficult to name their child something that was worthy, but in that moment of magic, they knew.

Grabbing one of Richard's hands, she cried out in pain, unable to focus on the old man's instructions as Cara rushed off into the woods. It was all happening so quickly and all she could think about was holding their daughter in her arms and gazing upon what their love had created. Minutes before, when he had come to her side, she had never been more afraid, but the instant he touched her, it all faded away. He had pulled her magic into him, taking some of the pain into himself without fear and without pause, his love for her bleeding through the boundary between them. He had come to her, knowing what could happen and yet, he came anyway. He always knew that they were made for each other and now, she understood completely.

His attention never wavered from her. With every cry of pain, gasp for air and tightening of the hands, he was there. She wouldn't have been able to continue without him.

******

Three hours and the world was greeted by the cry of their child. Richard had been leaning over her knees, trying to catch a glimpse of her for half an hour, desperately awaiting her arrival. With a smile spread across his face, he looked back to Kahlan.

"She's perfect." His words rushed through her, relaxing her body as she watched him take the small child into his arms and wrap her in the blanket his grandfather had been making. "Hi," he said softly to the child as he pulled her close, hugging her gently as the wizard made sure that her mother was all right. It was a sight she never thought she would see. A man holding a Confessor, his daughter, without hatred or absent thought for her. Meeting his eyes, she waited as he scooted back to her side, the anticipation of holding their daughter eating her. "She looks like you," he told her as she took her into her arms.

"I don't know," she laughed softly. "I think I see a little bit of Zedd."

"Me too, but hopefully she'll grow out of that."

His words made her laugh, forgetting the pain that still shot through her. "She's beautiful, Richard."

Nodding, he shifted his body so that he was able to pull her into his arms and hug her. "She is."

Neria snuggled closer to her mother's chest, breathing deeply as she curled the fingers of her left hand around her father's index. Her head was covered with a thin layer of dark hair, matching that of her father. It was beautiful with her pale skin, making the pinkness of her cheeks stand out. Her parents couldn't take their eyes off of her.

"We should leave in the morning," Cara said as she tossed three rabbits on the ground beside the wizard. He had restarted the fire to keep them warm, but his eyes didn't leave the family sitting across from him. "It will be snowing soon."

"The child is small, she may not be strong enough to travel through the snow."

"She'll be fine," Kahlan said as she lifted her eyes from her daughter. "I'm sure she can handle it."

Tightening his arms around her, Richard kept his eyes on their child. "If we leave just before dawn, it would save us some time in the snow." Nuzzling his head against hers, he moved his hands over her slightly. "Will you be all right?"

Pushing back against him, she grinned. "We'll manage."

"I have no doubt." His smile widened as he spoke. There was no doubt in his mind that she would be able to handle whatever was thrown their way. She did, after all, just give birth through their daughter.

"It's cold..." she whispered as she closed her eyes, pushing closer to him for warmth. Pressing his lips to her neck, he began leaving open mouthed kisses, leaving her skin warm as he took advantage of the moment. His hands moved over her slowly, keeping away from their child in her arms, but pleased that she moved her to give him better access to her body. Pushing into him, she let out a low moan. "If you keep doing that, we're going to have another child."

"I don't mind," he growled lightly.

Laughing softly, she turned her head to look at him. "We wouldn't be able to be alone."

His growl was louder than intended, the thought of he with her again driving him wild. "We're going to fill the halls with our children."

"How did you know?" she asked quietly. "How did you know, even before that my magic wouldn't take you?"

Smiling, he shook his head. "I don't know, I- I could feel it and then as I stood over there, it was like it called out for me. But when it went through me, I- there is nothing that can compare to that feeling. It was unlike everything I've experienced and I never wanted it to end."

"Me either."

"Which part?" he asked with a smile.

Closing her eyes, she turned her head forward and signed. "I could feel you, but it wasn't like any of the others. You didn't resist; you pulled it into you and for a moment, I thought that... I don't think that I have ever been so scared."

"I know, I felt it."

"And you pulled me to you." Neria wiggled, bring their eyes to her as she tried to get closer. "We should move closer to the fire."

Richard stood instantly, helping her to her feet as she clutched their child to her chest. Taking a few steps toward the fire, she couldn't help her widening smile as the Mord'Sith stared at the child. The Seeker had a blanket wrapped around them at once, warming them instantly. Sitting back to the ground, Kahlan grinned, lifting her daughter so that the wizard could get a better view. She had never seen the older man so happy before. His smile spread across his face.

"Do you want to hold her?" she asked as he moved closer.

Taking the small child into his arms, Zedd pulled her close and tightened the blanket around her. Cara inched closer slowly, trying to get a closer look without gaining the attention of the others who continued to keep their eyes on the baby. Neria opened her eyes for a moment, taking a look around before letting out a soft, short cry. The sound made her mother jump, instinctively looking around to make sure that she was safe. Richard's arm around her waist calmed her, bringing her eyes from the tree line to his.

"It's all right."

Nodding, Kahlan slouched back down, returning to a slightly comfortable position with a soft sigh. Before she could take in a breath, his lips were upon hers. Grabbing his face, she pulled him against her and pushed forward. For a moment she forgot their friends were so close to them. Breaking their kiss, Kahlan held him to her and licked her lips while she took a moment to catch her breath. It felt like it had been an eternity since they had kissed that way.

Looking back to Neria, she grinned as she began moving her hands slowly over Richard's chest. "We have a daughter." The words sounded so strange to her, almost unreal even with the reality being moved into the arms of the man she loved. "I never thought that I would-"

"I know," Richard said softly. "But you do now, you have all of us." He smiled, leaning toward her. "It's better than you imagined, isn't it?"

Taking their daughter into her arms, she nodded. "Much better."

******THE END******


End file.
